Charged particle inspection method and charged particle system

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a charged particle system comprising: a charged particle source; a first multi aperture plate; a second multi aperture plate disposed downstream of the first multi aperture plate, the second multi aperture plate; a controller configured to selectively apply at least first and second voltage differences between the first and second multi aperture plates; wherein the charged particle source and the first and second multi aperture plates are arranged such that each of a plurality of charged particle beamlets traverses an aperture pair, said aperture pair comprising one aperture of the first multi aperture plate and one aperture of the second multi aperture plate, wherein plural aperture pairs are arranged such that a center of the aperture of the first multi aperture plate is, when seen in a direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multi aperture plate, displaced relative to a center of the aperture of the second multi aperture plate. The invention further pertains to a particle-optical component configured to change a divergence of a set of charged particle beamlets and a charged particle inspection method comprising inspection of an object using different numbers of charged particle beamlets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a charged particle system, aparticle-optical component and a charged particle inspection method.

2. Brief Description of Related Art

With regard to the continuous development of ever smaller and moresophisticated microstructures such as semiconductor chips there is aneed for further development and optimisation of both lithography andinspection systems for writing or inspecting, respectively, the requiredsmall dimensions of the microstructures. In addition, high throughput ofproduction and examination of the microstructures is an importanteconomic factor that places further demands on the performance requiredof lithography and inspection tools.

The decrease of critical dimensions of the microstructures has led toincreased use of charged particle beam systems due to the ability ofcharged particle beams to provide higher resolution as compared toconventionally used wavelengths of light. To meet the requirement ofhigh throughput in inspection and manufacture, there is also a growingtrend towards a parallelization of processing using a multitude ofcharged particle beams rather than a single charged particle beam. Thisapproach may involve use of a single source of charged particles withsubsequent splitting of a beam generated by the source or parallel useof a multitude of sources, for instance.

Given the fast developments in this field, it is also desirable toprovide tools that support and facilitate the development andconstruction of new charged particle systems.

In addition, there is a need for charged particle systems and componentsthereof which allow simple and fast handling of a multitude of chargedparticle beamlets.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chargedparticle system and a charged particle inspection method that allowexamination of processes occurring during at least one of inspection andmanufacture of microstructures using plural charged particle beamlets.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a chargedparticle system and component of such a system that allows fastsimultaneous deflection of a multitude of charged particle beamlets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In response to the above objects, the present invention provides, in afirst embodiment, a charged particle inspection method, comprising:

in a first mode of operation, directing a first number of primarycharged particle beamlets onto an object surface, to generate asecondary charged particle beamlet from each of the primary chargedparticle beamlets incident on the object surface;directing each of the secondary charged particle beamlets onto adetector arrangement to detect an intensity of each of the secondarycharged particle beamlets, wherein a first number of intensities isdetected;in a second mode of operation, directing a second number of the primarycharged particle beamlets onto the object surface, wherein the secondnumber is at least one and less than the first number;directing each of the secondary charged particle beamlets onto thedetector arrangement to detect an intensity of each of the secondarycharged particle beamlets, wherein a second number of intensities isdetected.

Thus, in a first mode of operation, inspection involves a total firstnumber of charged particle beamlets whereas inspection in a second modeof operation involves a total second number of charged particle beamletswhich is smaller than the first number. For instance, the total secondnumber may be 1 or a small fraction of the first number.

The inventors have found that this method enables examination ofphenomena occurring on the object surface during charged particleinspection thereof which provides useful information in particular inthe development of new applications of charged particle inspectionmethods and testing of charged particle systems.

In addition, using a single charged particle beamlet or just few chargedparticle beamlets for inspection is advantageous in that the singlecharged particle beamlets experiences less Coulomb interaction than acharged particle beamlet amidst a plurality of charged particle beamletsand is thus less blurred. As a result, the charged particle beamletyields a better resolution.

The charged particle inspection method may involve the first number ofprimary charged particle beamlets being directed onto the object surfacesuch that an array of beam spots is formed on the surface. The chargedparticle inspection method may, in addition, involve the second numberof primary charged particle beamlets being directed onto the objectsurface such that an array of beam spots is formed on the surface.

The charged particle inspection method may further comprise generatingimage data of the surface by scanning the array of beam spots across thesurface and recording associated intensities of the secondary chargedparticle beamlets.

The method may further comprise obtaining surface charging informationby comparing detected intensities of the secondary charged particlebeamlets when the first number of primary charged particle beamlets isdirected onto the surface in the first mode of operation with detectedintensities of the secondary charged particle beamlets or with adetected intensity of the secondary charged particle beamlet,respectively, when the second number of primary charged particlebeamlets is directed onto the surface in the second mode of operation.

For applications such as examination of surface charge phenomena thatoccur on the object surface during multi beam inspection thereof, fastswitching between the first and second modes of operation, i.e. thesteps of directing the first and second numbers of charged particles onthe object surface and detecting secondary charged particles generatedthereby is desirable.

The steps of directing the first and second numbers of charged particleson the object surface and detecting secondary charged particlesgenerated thereby may be repeated as many times as required. It may, forinstance, be suitably alternated between the two modes of operation. Itis also conceivable to have at least a third mode of operation thatdiffers from the first and second modes of operation by virtue of atleast one of a number of charged particle beamlets directed at theobject surface, a choice of particular charged particle beamletsemployed or a resolution or focussing power of the charged particlebeamlet(s) employed.

The directing of the different numbers of charged particle beamlets ontothe object surface is accomplished by the same charged particle system.It may involve the same charged particle optical column or a portion ofa plurality of columns configured to generate the first number ofcharged particle beamlets in the first mode of operation being switchedto a second mode of operation, wherein only the smaller, second numberof primary charged particle beamlets is generated. Alternatively, it mayinvolve the system being switched to a second mode of operation whereina portion of the first number of charged particles is intercepted fromreaching the object surface such that only the second number of primarycharged particle beamlets reaches the object surface. Intercepting thefirst number of primary charged particle beamlets may involveapplication of an electrical field in a region of the beam paths of thefirst number of primary charged particle beamlets such that a thirdnumber out of the first number of primary charged particle beamlets iscaused to be incident on a beam stop such that only the second number ofcharged particle beamlets reaches the object surface, the third number,which is intercepted by the beamstop, being equal to a differencebetween the first and second numbers. In other exemplary embodiments,intercepting the first number of primary charged particle beamlets mayinvolve mechanical movement of a beamstop into paths of the first numberof primary charged particle beamlets such that a third number out of thefirst number of primary charged particle beamlets is caused to beincident on the beam stop such that only the second number of chargedparticle beamlets reaches the object surface, the third number, which isintercepted by the beamstop, being equal to a difference between thefirst and second numbers. The beamstop may be an aperture plate, forinstance, that may be slided or rotated into position. In dependence ofthe second and third numbers, the aperture plate may comprise a numberof apertures that is equivalent to the second number and thus allows thesecond number of charged particles to pass through the apertures,whereas the third number of charged particle beamlets is incident on theaperture plate. In further exemplary embodiments, the aperture plate maycomprise various sections wherein each section comprises a differentnumber of apertures so as to allow generation of different secondnumbers of charged particle beamlets in dependence of the sectionarranged in the beam paths of the first number of charged particlebeamlets. In other exemplary embodiments, the sections may differ byvirtue of a pattern of apertures so as to allow generation of differentpatterns of the second number of charged particle beamlets. Exemplaryembodiments of a third or fourth aperture plate for changing a number ofcharged particle beamlets incident on the object are disclosed in U.S.provisional application No. 60/714,556 to the same Assignee, filed onSep. 6, 2005, the priority of which is claimed by the present invention,and the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, directing the second number of primarycharged particles onto the object surface comprises directing the firstnumber of primary charged particle beamlets through an electrical ormagnetic field, the electrical or magnetic field being configured suchthat a third number of charged particle beamlets is incident on a beamstop disposed downstream of the electrical or magnetic field such thatonly the second number of charged particle beamlets—being equal to adifference between the first and third numbers—is incident on the objectsurface.

Exemplary embodiments of charged particle systems and particle-opticalcomponents suitable for carrying out the above described method will bedescribed in the following.

In a second embodiment, the present invention provides a chargedparticle system, comprising:

a source of primary charged particle beamlets;a field generating arrangement configured to generate at least one of amagnetic and electrical field extending over a space traversed by beampaths of the primary charged particle beamlets,a beamstop disposed downstream of the field generating arrangement;a controller configured to selectively switch the field generatingarrangement from a first mode of operation to a second mode ofoperation, wherein a first field associated with the first mode ofoperation is different from a second field associated with the secondmode of operation;wherein the field generating arrangement and the beamstop are arrangedsuch that a first number of primary charged particle beamlets bypassesthe beamstop when the field generating arrangement is switched to thefirst mode of operation and such that a second number of primary chargedparticle beamlets bypasses the beamstop when the field generatingarrangement is switched to the second mode of operation, wherein thesecond number is at least one and less than the first number,and wherein a third number of primary charged particle beamlets isincident on the beamstop when the field generating arrangement isswitched to the second mode of operation, wherein the third number isequal to a difference between the first and second numbers.

In other words, the field generating arrangement is arranged andconfigured to generate the magnetic or electrical field such that thearea covered by the field encompasses an area containing the beam pathsof the primary charged particle beamlets that are to reach the objectsurface. By way of example, the field generating arrangement may beconfigured such that substantially all beam paths of primary chargedparticle beamlets of the system pass through the field generated by thefield generating arrangement.

Thus, the charged particle system makes use of two modes of operationthat differ by virtue of the electrical or magnetic field that pluralprimary charged particle beamlets pass through simultaneously, forinstance the first number of charged particle beamlets.

There is a growing trend towards use of maskless lithography systems,some of which are based on one or more multi aperture plates for thegeneration of a pattern to be transferred on the object to be exposed.This type of multi aperture plate is often referred to as a blankingaperture array (BAA). An example of such an array may be found in US2003/0155534 A1, for instance. Those multi aperture plates generallycomprise deflectors disposed on each aperture, which are configured suchthat charged particle beamlets passing through the aperture may beindividually controlled and deflected, independently of charged particlebeamlets traversing the other apertures. This is accomplished byprogramming a sequence in which the deflectors of individual aperturesare switched on and off. Switching selected apertures on and off allowsprogramming of certain patterns of charged particles and directing themonto the object surface. Sequential exposure to these patterns thatoverlap on the object surface allows writing of a predeterminedmicrostructure onto the object surface.

In contrast to a blanking aperture array as used in a lithographysystem, the field generating arrangement, which may be a magnetic fieldgenerating arrangement or a pair of electrodes and may comprise multiapertures plates, is configured and arranged to provide an electrical ormagnetic field extending over a region that all charged particlebeamlets to be directed onto the object surface, i.e. a total numberequivalent to the first number of charged particle beamlets, passthrough. Thus, selectively switching to a particular mode of operationwill affect all charged particle beamlets travelling through theelectrical or magnetic field present, rather than just individual ones.It is, however, conceivable to combine one of the multi aperture plateswith a blanking aperture array and make use both of individual as wellas overall deflection. It is also conceivable to use additionaldeflecting elements within a space of the field generating arrangement,such as in between two multi aperture plates that may form the fieldgenerating arrangement.

The field generating arrangement may be disposed outside of a perimeterof an area traversed by the beam paths of the charged particle beamlets.Alternatively, it may be disposed traverse to and thus within a totalarea in which beam paths of the charged particle beamlets are located.In the latter case, the field generating arrangement comprises aperturesthat allow the charged particle beamlets to pass through.

In exemplary embodiments, the two modes of operation may differ in thatonly one mode of operation comprises application of an electrical ormagnetic field, or the two modes of operation may differ in terms of afield strength or field configuration such that they cause a differentextent of deflection of charged particle beamlets resulting in adifferent number of charged particle beamlets being deflected by theelectrical or magnetic field and thus being either blocked by or allowedto pass by the beam stop. The term field configuration relates to adistribution and orientation of equipotential lines, amongst others.

The mode in which the first number of primary charged particle beamletsis directed at the substrate is referred to as the first mode ofoperation in the context of the present application, and the mode ofoperation wherein the second number of charged particle beamlets isdirected at the substrate is consequently referred to as the second modeof operation.

In exemplary embodiments, the field generating arrangement may comprisea pair of electrodes, an electrical multipole lens, a magnetic lens, acombination of an electrical and a magnetic lens or any other suitablearrangement allowing the generation of an electrical and/or magneticfield covering the area that the charged particle beamlets pass through.

In exemplary embodiments, the field generating arrangement comprises afirst pair of electrodes for generating an electrical field between thefirst pair of electrodes, wherein beam paths of the primary chargedparticle beamlets traverse a space between the first pair of electrodes;and wherein the controller is configured to selectively apply a firstvoltage difference to the first pair of electrodes to generate a firstelectrical field in the first mode of operation and a second voltagedifference to the first pair of electrodes to generate a secondelectrical field in the second mode of operation. The first voltagedifference is different from the second voltage difference.

The first and second numbers can generally be chosen to suit the needsof a particular application. The second number could be as small as one,for instance, or could be in a range of one to one hundred, by way ofexample. The first number may be any number between 2 and 1,500,000. Inexemplary embodiments, a difference between the first and second numbersis in a range of from 1 to 1,000,000.

In further exemplary embodiments, the controller may be furtherconfigured to selectively apply a third voltage to the first pair ofelectrodes, the application of the third voltage being configured suchthat it results in a number of primary charged particle beamletsbypassing the beam stop which is different from the first and secondnumbers. Application of further voltages and thus modes of operationwould also be feasible.

The charged particle system may further be configured such thatdownstream of the beam stop, a beam path of at least one of the primarycharged particle beamlets bypassing the beam stop in the first mode ofoperation coincides with at least one of the primary charged particlebeamlets bypassing the beam stop in the second mode of operation.Switching of electrical or magnetic fields leads to a shift of beampaths of primary charged particle beamlets.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first pair of electrodes may include twoplates which are laterally disposed relative to the beam paths of theprimary charged particle beamlets. Thus, the electrodes may be disposedon either side of an area encompassing the beam paths of the firstnumber of primary charged particle beamlets in a plane substantiallyorthogonal to an average direction of the beam paths, and thus bearranged opposite to one another. In an exemplary embodiment, theelectrical field is a substantially homogeneous electrical fieldconfigured to cause a deflection of the primary charged particlebeamlets in a same direction relative to the object surface.

The charged particle system may further comprise a second pair ofelectrodes including two plates which are laterally disposed relative tothe beam paths of the primary charged particle beamlets downstream ofthe first pair of electrodes. Those two plates would thus be axiallyoffset from the first pair of electrodes. This would allow generation oftwo different electrical fields in series, for instance.

The charged particle system may further comprise at least a third pairof electrodes including two plates which are laterally disposed relativeto the beam paths of the primary charged particle beamlets downstream ofthe beam stop.

Also, the second and third pairs of electrodes may be arranged such asto generate an electrical field causing a deflection of chargedparticles in one direction relative to the object surface. Thecontroller may then be further configured to selectively apply third andfourth, respectively fifth and sixth voltage differences to the second,respectively third pair of electrodes.

The same configuration of deflecting field(s) as described above inconnection with the sets of electrodes can be achieved using suitablemagnetic configurations, such as magnetic coils and the like.

In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the first pair of electrodes maycomprise two multi aperture plates which have a plurality of aperturesformed therein and which are oriented substantially transverse to thebeam paths of the primary charged particle beamlets, each beam pathtraversing at least one electrode of the pair of electrodes through oneof the apertures formed therein. In an exemplary embodiment, a secondmulti aperture plate disposed downstream of a first multi aperture plateis configured such that each beam path traversing an aperture of thefirst multi aperture plate also traverses an aperture of the secondmulti aperture plate. Thus, each aperture of the first multi apertureplate being traversed by a beam path would have a corresponding aperturein the second multi aperture plate, thus forming an aperture pair.

The embodiment using multi aperture plates may be used to generateeither electrical or magnetic fields or both. In exemplary embodiments,the first multi aperture plate is coupled to a first pole piece and thesecond multi aperture plate may be coupled to a second pole piece. Suchan arrangement is shown in FIG. 13a of U.S. provisional application60/714,556 as cited above. First and second voltages would then beapplied as corresponding excitation currents to an excitation coilwithin the first and second pole pieces and serve to generate differentmagnetic fields in between the first and second multi aperture plates inthe first and second modes of operation. The same considerations withrespect to interchangeability of electrical and magnetic fields areequally applicable to all of the described exemplary embodimentsrelating to generation of electrical fields.

The first and second multi aperture plates are arranged to form a gapbetween them. In an exemplary embodiment, the first and second multiaperture plates are substantially flat and are arranged in parallel toone another. Application of a voltage to the first and second multiaperture plates thus results in the generation of an electrical field inthe gap between them. In an exemplary embodiment, a surface of thesecond multi aperture plate is disposed at a distance in a range of fromabout 10 μm to about 1 mm downstream of a surface of the first apertureplate, by way of example between about 100 μm to about 500 μm.

In this exemplary embodiment, plural aperture pairs are arranged suchthat a center of the one aperture of the first multi aperture plate is,when seen in a direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlettraversing the one aperture of the first multi aperture plate, displacedrelative to a center of the one aperture of the second multi apertureplate by a distance which is less than a diameter of the one aperture ofthe first electrode.

For instance, the distance may be greater than 0.05 times, by way ofexample 0.01 or 0.05 or 0.1 times the diameter of the respectiveaperture of the first multi aperture plate (electrode).

At least one aperture pair, other than an aperture pair comprised in theplural aperture pairs with a displacement of aperture centers asdescribed above, may be arranged such that a center of the otherapertures of the plurality of apertures of the first electrode isaligned with a center of a corresponding one of the other apertures ofthe first electrode such that the centers substantially coincide whenseen in a direction in which charged particles are incident in an areaof a particular aperture of the first multi aperture plate. Thus, theapertures in the first and second multi aperture plates would generallybe coaxial. Thus, at least two different groups of aperture pairs areformed in the system according to the second embodiment: one groupcomprising the plural aperture pairs wherein apertures are displacedrelative to one another and another group comprising at least oneaperture pair wherein apertures are either aligned with one another orsubstantially differently displaced with respect to one another.

In an exemplary embodiment, when seen in a direction of incidence ofprimary charged particles traversing an aperture pair, a center of eachof a fourth number of apertures of a second electrode of the first pairof electrodes is displaced relative to a center of a corresponding oneof the apertures of the first electrode by a distance which is less thana diameter of the one aperture of the first electrode, wherein thefourth number is equal to the third number of charged particle beamletsincident on the beamstop in the second mode of operation as describedabove in connection with the method according to the present invention.Thus, the charged particle beamlets passing through those apertures areincident on the beam stop upon application of the second voltage. Anumber of aperture pairs, which number is equivalent to the secondnumber of charged particle beamlets, are arranged such that a center ofthe aperture of the second electrode (multi aperture plate) is alignedwith a center of the corresponding aperture of the first electrode(multi aperture plate), such that the second number of charged particlebeamlets passes through the beamstop and is incident on the objectsurface in the second mode of operation.

Application of an electrical field that can be switched on and off oraltered by a change of the voltage difference applied to the pairs ofelectrodes/multi aperture plates allows practically instant switchingbetween the two modes of operation. In addition, the electrical fieldexerts an influence on all of the first number of charged particlebeamlets rather than just individual ones which allows a fairly simpleinstrumental set up and control program for the controller.

Other configurations and arrangements of the multi aperture plates areconceivable and will be described in more detail below in connectionwith the third embodiment. They are equally applicable to the secondembodiment under the provision that switching from a first to a secondmode of operation results in a different number of charged particlesreaching the object surface. This may be achieved by providing at leasttwo different groups of aperture pairs differing by virtue of analignment/displacement. In contrast to the second embodiment, the thirdembodiment also provides for blanking of all charged particle beamlets.

In a third embodiment, the present invention provides a charged particlesystem, comprising:

at least one charged particle source;a first multi aperture plate disposed downstream of the at least onecharged particle source, the first multi aperture plate comprising aplurality of apertures;a second multi aperture plate disposed downstream of the first multiaperture plate, the second multi aperture plate comprising a pluralityof apertures;a controller configured to selectively apply at least first and secondvoltage differences between the first and second multi aperture plates;wherein the at least one charged particle source and the first andsecond multi aperture plates are arranged such that each of a pluralityof charged particle beamlets traverses an aperture pair, said aperturepair comprising one aperture of the first multi aperture plate and oneaperture of the second multi aperture plate, wherein plural aperturepairs are arranged such that a center of the one aperture of the firstmulti aperture plate is, when seen in a direction of incidence of thecharged particle beamlet traversing the one aperture of the first multiaperture plate, displaced relative to a center of the one aperture ofthe second multi aperture plate.

Application of first and second voltage differences shall also apply toexemplary embodiments wherein the first multi aperture plate is coupledto a first pole piece and the second multi aperture plate is coupled toa second pole piece of a magnetic circuit. Such an arrangement is shownin FIG. 13a of U.S. provisional application 60/714,556 as cited above.First and second voltages would then be applied as correspondingexcitation currents to an excitation coil arranged within the first andsecond pole pieces and serve to generate first and second magneticfields in between the first and second multi aperture plates in thefirst and second modes of operation.

In an exemplary embodiment, the plural aperture pairs are arranged suchthat the center of the aperture of the first multi aperture plate of arespective aperture pair is, when seen in the direction of incidence ofthe charged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multiaperture plate, displaced by a distance relative to the center of theaperture of the second multi aperture plate, which distance is less thana diameter of the respective aperture of the first multi aperture plate.The distance may be greater than about 0.01 times the diameter of theaperture of the first multi aperture plate, for instance.

The plural aperture pairs may comprise all aperture pairs formed by theapertures of the first and second multi aperture plates. In alternativeembodiments, the plural aperture pairs may comprise a portion of allaperture pairs formed by the apertures of the first and second multiaperture plates.

The distance may be the same distance in all of the plural aperturepairs or may be different in the plural aperture pairs. In exemplaryembodiments, the plural aperture pairs comprise a first group ofaperture pairs which are arranged such that the center of the apertureof the first multi aperture plate is, when seen in the direction ofincidence of the charged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of thefirst multi aperture plate, displaced by a first distance relative tothe center of the aperture of the second multi aperture plate, andwherein the plural aperture pairs comprise a second group of aperturepairs which are arranged such that that the center of the aperture ofthe first multi aperture plate is, when seen in the direction ofincidence of the charged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of thefirst multi aperture plate, displaced by a second distance relative tothe center of the aperture of the second multi aperture plate, whereinthe second distance is at least 1.05 times the first distance.

In further exemplary embodiments, the plural aperture pairs furthercomprise a third group of aperture pairs which are arranged such thatthe center of the aperture of the first multi aperture plate is, whenseen in the direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlettraversing the aperture of the first multi aperture plate, displaced bya third distance relative to the center of the aperture of the secondmulti aperture plate, wherein the third distance is greater than thefirst and second distances, and at least 1.10 times the first distance.

The first and second groups of aperture pairs may be arranged in anysuitable pattern, for instance the first group may be surrounded by thesecond group or vice versa, the first group may be arranged on one halfof the multi aperture plate whereas the second group is arranged on theother half, to name but a few possibilities.

In further exemplary embodiments, the plural aperture pairs may comprisefurther groups of aperture pairs having increasingly greater distancesbetween respective centers of apertures of alignment pairs.

The apertures in the first multi aperture plate comprised in the pluralaperture pairs may be arranged in a first pattern and the apertures inthe second multi aperture plate comprised in the plural aperture pairsmay be arranged in a second pattern which is different from the firstpattern. For instance, a distance between two adjacent apertures in thefirst multi aperture plate may be different from a distance betweenassociated apertures in the second multi aperture plate. In oneexemplary embodiment, the apertures in the first multi aperture platemay be arranged symmetrically and equidistantly thus forming a patterncomprising equidistant columns and rows. The second multi aperture platein that exemplary embodiment may comprise a pattern wherein apertureshave an increasing distance from one another with increasing distancefrom a center of the second multi aperture plate. Thus, arranging thefirst and second multi aperture plates results in a displacement betweenassociated centers of apertures in the first and second multi apertureplates being increasingly displaced with increasing distance from thecenters of the multi aperture plates.

Suitable choice of a displacement of the associated centers of anaperture pair in combination with a choice of a suitable voltagedifference applied allows control of a degree to which a chargedparticle beamlet passing through the respective alignment pair isdeflected. Typically, the arrangement of the multi aperture plates issuch that the more the centers of the apertures of an alignment pair aredisplaced relative to one another, the greater a degree of deflectionbecomes.

In exemplary embodiments, the plural aperture pairs may be arranged suchthat displacement between the respective centers of the apertures of arespective aperture pair is in a same direction for all of the pluralaperture pairs.

In other exemplary embodiments, the plural aperture pairs may bearranged such that displacement is in different directions for differentaperture pairs of the plural aperture pairs. In an exemplary embodiment,the first and second multi aperture plates comprise a center anddisplacement of the respective center of an aperture relative to thecenter of the associated aperture of the aperture pair is in a directionopposite the center of the multi aperture plate. In an exemplaryembodiment, displacement may be such that a center of the one apertureof the second multi aperture plate is disposed radially outwards withrespect to the center relative to the one aperture of the first multiaperture plate, or vice versa.

In other exemplary embodiments, the plural aperture pairs may be dividedinto groups of aperture pairs which are grouped according to thecriterion that the one aperture of the first multi aperture plate is,when seen in a direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlettraversing the one aperture of the first multi aperture plate, displacedby a same distance relative to a center of the one aperture of thesecond multi aperture plate and/or displaced in a same directionrelative to a the center of the first multi aperture plate.

Displacement may be symmetric with respect to the center of the firstmulti-aperture plate, or a center of a pattern formed by the aperturesor any other suitable point of symmetry, or it may be asymmetric.

Exemplary embodiments, in which a distance between the respectivecenters of the apertures in a respective alignment pair increases withincreasing distance from a center of the first multi aperture plateallows generation of a set of charged particle beamlets, which is, uponexit from an electrical field between the first and second multiaperture plates, divergent, i.e. a distance between at least someadjacent charged particle beamlets increases with increasing distancefrom a center of the set of charged particle beamlets. A divergenceinvolving an increasing distance between adjacent charged particlebeamlets allows to achieve a defocusing effect for the set of chargedparticle beamlets.

Likewise, a focusing effect can be achieved by arranging the centers ofrespective apertures of the plural aperture pairs such that they have adecreasing distance from one another with increasing distance from acenter of the first multi aperture plate.

For instance, in a pattern of apertures comprising a square array ofapertures in the first and second multi aperture plates with aperturesdisposed in rows and columns, the plural apertures may comprise a firstgroup of aperture pairs wherein the centers of the apertures aredisplaced from one another by a first distance S1, a second group ofapertures wherein the centers of the apertures are displaced from oneanother by a second distance S2=S1*1.05 and a third group of apertureswherein the centers of the apertures are displaced from one another by athird distance S3=S1*1.10, wherein a direction of displacement is in adirection away from a center of the array.

The charged particle system according to the third embodiment may beused as a general deflecting arrangement that allows fast, simultaneousand very uniform deflection of a multitude of charged particle beamlets.This deflection allows a fast change of a position of the chargedparticle beamlets on the object surface that may be used in scanning andother applications.

In exemplary embodiments, the charged particle system according to thethird embodiment may further comprise a beamstop, wherein the first andsecond multi aperture plates and the beam stop are arranged such that afirst number of primary charged particle beamlets bypasses the beam stopwhen the first voltage difference is applied and further such that asecond number of primary charged particle beamlets bypasses the beamstop when the second voltage difference is applied. In thoseembodiments, the total number of charged particle beamlets reaching theobject surface is the first number in the first mode of operation andthe second number in the second mode of operation.

In one example, the second number may be at least one and less than thefirst number. This exemplary embodiment may involve a third number ofprimary charged particle beamlets being incident on the beam stop whenthe second voltage difference is applied, wherein the third number isequal to a difference between the first and second numbers. Thus, thetotal number of charged particle beamlets reaching the object surface isat least one in both modes of operation. Thus, the system is used toblock a portion of charged particle beamlets resulting in differentnumbers of charged particle beamlets reaching the object surface. Thisembodiment is particularly useful in connection with the methoddescribed above.

In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the second number may be zero.This can be used to the effect that deflection of the charged particlebeamlets leads to all of them impinging on the beamstop and no chargedparticle beamlets reach the object surface. Thus, this exemplaryembodiment can be used as a general blanker that simultaneously deflectsall charged particle beamlets. Thus, this exemplary embodiment is usefulin applications where fast and uniform deflection of a multitude ofcharged particle beamlets is desirable. The arrangement comprising thetwo multi aperture plates and the voltage supply thus forms a particleoptical component that is particularly useful to simultaneously blockall charged particle beamlets from reaching the object surface andfunctions as a general blanker.

In exemplary embodiments, the plural aperture pairs may comprisedifferent subsets of aperture pairs. For instance, the aperture pairs ofa first subset may be configured such that the aperture of the secondmulti aperture plate is offset relative to the aperture of the firstmulti aperture plate in a first direction and the aperture pairs of thesecond subset may be configured such that the aperture of the secondmulti aperture plate is offset relative to the aperture of the firstmulti aperture plate in a second direction, the first and seconddirections being different directions relative to a center of the firstmulti aperture plate. Thus, application of a voltage difference betweenthe first and second multi aperture plates would lead to a deflection ofcharged particle beamlets passing through the aperture pairs of the twosubsets being deflected in different directions, thus generatingdifferent sub-arrays of charged particle beamlets. Other suitableconfigurations, arrangements and divisions into groups have beendescribed before.

In an exemplary embodiment, a pattern of apertures of the first multiaperture plate is substantially the same as a pattern of apertures ofthe second multi aperture plate, and the first and second multi apertureplates are arranged relative to each other such that the patterns arenot in registry, but slightly shifted relative to one another such thataperture pairs with the aperture in the first aperture plate beingoffset from the associated aperture in the second multi aperture plateare formed.

In further exemplary embodiments, in particular the charged particlesystem according to the present invention that comprise first and secondmulti aperture plates may further comprise a third multi aperture platedisposed upstream of the first multi aperture plate.

The third multi aperture plate may comprise a plurality of apertures andbe arranged such that the aperture pairs each further have an associatedaperture of the third multi aperture plate, wherein the associatedaperture of the third multi aperture plate is arranged such that acenter thereof is, when seen in a direction of incidence of the chargedparticle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multi apertureplate, substantially aligned with the center of the aperture of thefirst multi aperture plate of the aperture pair.

In those exemplary embodiments, the controller may be further configuredto selectively apply at least third and fourth voltage differencesbetween the first and third multi aperture plates. By way of example, inthe first mode of operation, a third voltage difference other than zeromay be applied between the first and third multi aperture plates whileno voltage difference, i.e. a first voltage difference of zero, isapplied between the first and second multi aperture plates. This resultsin generation of an electrical field in between the first and thirdmulti aperture plates, but no electrical field in between the first andsecond multi aperture plates. Thus, in the first mode of operation,charged particle beamlets are focused by the electrical field betweenthe first and third multi aperture plates and the first number ofcharged particle beamlets reaches the object surface. In the second modeof operation, a fourth voltage difference of zero may be applied betweenthe first and third multi aperture plates, whilst a second voltagedifference other than zero is applied between the first and second multiaperture plates to generate an electrical field between them. Due to theaperture of the first multi aperture plate being offset from theassociated aperture of the second multi aperture plate in pluralaperture pairs, when seen in a direction in which charged particlebeamlets pass through the aperture pair, the electrical field generatedbetween the first and second multi aperture plates is configured suchthat those charged particle beamlets having passed through one of theplural aperture pairs are deflected relative to the direction ofincidence. This embodiment is particularly advantageous in that focusingand deflection of the charged particle beamlets can be achieved by thesame, fairly simple component. In addition, deflection of the chargedparticle beamlets is very uniform. Moreover, this embodiment onlyrequires one controller for deflection and focusing purposes.

In alternative embodiments, the third multi aperture plate may compriseless apertures than there are aperture pairs in the first and secondmulti aperture plates, in which case a charged particle beamlet havingpassed through an aperture of the third multi aperture plate is dividedinto several charged particle beamlets upon traversal of aperture pairs.

In further exemplary embodiments, the first and second multi apertureplates further comprise aperture pairs in which the aperture in thefirst multi aperture plate is in registry with the associated aperturein the second multi aperture plate when seen in the direction ofincidence of the charged particle beamlet traversing the aperture pair.Thus the apertures are aligned relative to one another substantiallysuch that any deviation from a perfect alignment is generally due to thelimits set by an achievable precision of alignment.

In further exemplary embodiments, the distance of displacement of theaperture centers relative to one another may be suitably chosen suchthat groups of aperture pairs cause different degrees of deflection ofthe charged particle beamlets.

Suitable arrangement of the beam stop allows blocking primary chargedparticle beamlets in dependence of the deflection they experience.

The first and second multi aperture plates may have substantially planesurfaces to form a gap having a substantially constant width betweenthem. The substantially constant width refers to a width having onlyvariations which lie within a reasonable alignment precision that may beachieved upon arranging the first and second multi aperture platesrelative to each other.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the first and second multi apertureplates have curved surfaces. Curvatures of the first and second multiaperture plates may, for instance, be chosen such that they form a gapbetween them, with the gap preferably having a substantially constantwidth, at least in a region of the plurality of apertures of the multiaperture plates. In those embodiments, defining a displacement of acenter of an aperture in the second multi aperture plate relative to acenter of a corresponding aperture in the first multi aperture plate isbased on viewing the respective aperture in a direction substantiallyorthogonal to a surface region of the first multi aperture plateadjacent to and surrounding the respective aperture. For instance, themulti apertures may each have a biconvex or biconcave shape.

In alternative exemplary embodiments, the multi aperture plates may betilted relative to one another such that a gap of varying width isgenerated.

As used herein, the center of an aperture shall refer to the center ofthe aperture as determined on a side of the aperture plate facing anupstream direction of the overall charged particle system.

In exemplary embodiments of the systems and components according to thepresent invention, an absolute value of the first voltage difference maybe less than an absolute value of the second voltage difference.

A voltage difference shall be defined as a difference between apredetermined voltage and ground potential.

Thus, an absolute value of the first voltage difference, i.e. adifference between a first voltage and ground potential may be set to beless than an absolute value of the second voltage difference, i.e. adifference between a second voltage and ground potential. In otherwords, the first voltage may be a more positive or more negative voltagethan the second voltage.

In alternative exemplary embodiments, an absolute value of the secondvoltage difference may be less than an absolute value of the firstvoltage difference, which means that an absolute value of a differencebetween a second voltage and ground potential may be set to be less thanan absolute value of a difference between a first voltage and groundpotential.

One of the first and second voltages (and thug voltage differences) maybe zero, for instance. Hence, there would be no electrical field presentin one of the modes of operation, as mentioned before.

The charged particles may be any charged particles known in the art,such as electrons, ions and muons.

In a fourth embodiment, the present invention provides aparticle-optical component for manipulating a plurality of beamlets ofcharged particles, the particle-optical component comprising:

a first multi aperture plate comprising a plurality of apertures and asecond multi aperture plate comprising a plurality of apertures,the first and second multi aperture plates forming a gap between them,a controller configured to selectively apply at least a first voltagedifference between the first and second multi aperture plates togenerate at least a first electrical field between them,wherein the first and second multi aperture plates are configured andpositioned relative to each other such that the first electrical fieldgenerated changes a divergence of a set of charged particle beamletstraversing the particle-optical component upon exit from theparticle-optical component.

Divergence, as used herein, shall comprise a positive or a negativedivergence, and thus also comprises what is generally referred to as aconvergence. The divergence may also be zero.

In exemplary embodiments, the divergence is changed such that an anglebetween two charged particle beamlets, for instance two adjacent chargedparticle beamlets or two opposite peripheral charged particle beamlets,exiting the particle-optical component is increased or decreased by atleast about 0.01 mrad, for instance at least about 0.05 mrad, at leastabout 0.1 mrad or at least about 0.15 mrad.

In further exemplary embodiments, the divergence is changed such that anangle formed between a peripheral charged particle beamlet having exitedthe charged particle component and the second multi aperture plate isincreased or decreased by at least about 0.01 mrad, for instance atleast about 0.1 or at least about 1 mrad, in further examples at leastabout 10 mrad and in still further examples at least about 50 mrad.

Suitable configurations of the first and second multi aperture plates,voltage differences applied and electrical fields have been describedabove and equally apply to this embodiment of the present invention. Theparticle-optical component may further comprise at least one of a thirdmulti aperture plate and a beam stop as described above.

The beam stop used in embodiments of the systems and component accordingto the present invention may be any arrangement suitable forintercepting a charged particle beamlet or a predetermined number ofcharged particle beamlets from reaching the object surface.

In an exemplary embodiment, the beam stop may include a multi apertureplate having a plurality of apertures formed therein. The number ofapertures in the aperture plate of the beam stop may be adjusted to thenumber of apertures in at least one of the first and second multiaperture plates. For instance, the aperture plate of the beam stop maycomprise a first number of apertures, each of which apertures isarranged to be traversed by one of the first number of primary chargedparticle beamlets. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the number ofapertures of the multi aperture plates could be chosen such that atleast a portion of the apertures of the beam stop is traversed by morethan one primary charged particle beamlet. In the context of the presentinvention, the terms beam stop and blanking plate are used synonymously.

The apertures in the (multi) aperture plates may be round or elliptical,or they may be square or rectangular, for instance. The plurality ofapertures typically forms a pattern of apertures, which aperture patternmay be regular or irregular. The pattern may be, for instance, a highlyregular rectangular grid of apertures with a number of aperturesdisposed in rows and columns wherein apertures disposed adjacent to oneanother in a row or column may be spaced a same distance apart, andwherein the apertures generally have the same diameter. Various examplesof other suitable patterns are disclosed in WO 2005/024881, the entirecontents of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Apertures, as used herein, are perforations or through holes, i.e. theyextend through the entire thickness of the plate (at the location of theaperture) and thus have openings on both a front side and a back side ofthe plate they are comprised in. Plate, as used herein, shall alsoencompass a thin foil or a plate having one or more sections that form athin foil.

The process of arranging the first and second multi-aperture plates, ormore generally any two multi aperture plates, relative to each other maybe optically controlled by generating a Moire pattern or aninterferogram from light reflected from or transmitted by componentsassociated with the multi-aperture plates. Background information andexamples of high-precision alignment are given in the articles“Self-Aligned Assembly of Microlens Arrays with Micromirrors” by A.Tuantranont et al., Part of the SPIE Conference on Miniaturized Systemswith Micro-Optics and MEMS, Santa Clara, September 1999, SPIE Vol. 3878,pages 90 to 100 and “Microassembly Technologies for MEMS” by M. B. Cohnet al., Part of the SPIE Conference on Micromachining andMicrofabrication Process Technology IV, Santa Clara, Calif., September1998, SPIE Vol. 3511, pages 2 to 16, which are incorporated herein byreference.

The charged particle system may further comprise an objective lens forfocusing the primary charged particle beamlets onto the surface of theobject. In exemplary embodiments, the objective lens is disposeddownstream of the beam stop.

In further exemplary embodiments, the charged particle system furthercomprises a detector arrangement for detecting an intensity of secondarycharged particles generated by the primary charged particle beamletshaving bypassed the beam stop and being incident on the object surface.

The object may be a semiconductor wafer, for instance, which issensitive to exposure to charged particles or may have a coating that issensitive to charged particles or may be any other object intended to beexamined by charged particle inspection. The terms object and substrateare used synonymously herein.

Generally, each primary charged particle beamlet incident on the objectsurface generates a secondary charged particle beamlet, either byemission from the object or backscattering, and the detector arrangementmay be further configured to detect an intensity of each of thesecondary charged particle beamlets. The system may further comprise abeam splitter for separating the beam paths of the primary chargedparticle beamlets from beam paths of the secondary charged particlebeamlets and for directing the secondary charged particle beamlets ontothe detector arrangement.

The detector arrangement may be any suitable detector arrangement knownin the art, in particular in the field of electron microscopy. Thedetector arrangement may be a position-sensitive detector having aplurality of detecting pixels. The pixels may be arranged in an arraythat matches an array formed by secondary charged particle beamlet spotsgenerated by the secondary charged particle beamlets such that eachpixel can detect an intensity of an associated secondary chargedparticle beamlet. The detector arrangement may be a solid state CCD orCMOS, a scintillator arrangement, a micro channel plate, an array of PINdiodes, for instance.

In exemplary embodiments, the detector arrangement is disposed in aspace between the beam stop and the object. The detector arrangement maybe disposed adjacent to the beam stop.

The charged particle source may be any suitable charged particle sourceconfigured to generate a beam of charged particles. The charged particlesource may also comprise an array of several individual charged particlesources thus forming a source of primary charged particle beamlets.

The source of charged particle beamlets may be a charged particle sourceconfigured to generate one beam of charged particles and furthercomprise an arrangement for splitting the beam of charged particles intoa plurality of charged particle beamlets. An example of such anarrangement is a multi aperture plate comprising plural apertures, withcharged particle beamlets being formed by those charged particles thatpass through the apertures. The multi aperture plate forming the firstelectrode in the charged particle system according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention may serve as the arrangementconfigured to split the charged particle beam into plural chargedparticle beamlets, i.e. form part of the source of primary chargedparticle beamlets. In other embodiments, the source of charged particlebeamlets comprises a multi aperture plate disposed upstream of the firstand second electrodes. It may be comprised of the third multi apertureplate provided in other exemplary embodiments.

In other exemplary embodiments, the source of charged particle beamletsmay comprise an array of charged particle sources generating one or morecharged particle beamlets each. Other suitable charged particlecomponents may be used, as will be apparent to the person skilled in theart.

The systems according to the present invention may further comprise amain controller configured to change a setting of at least one of thecharged particle source, the objective lens, the beamstop, the detectorarrangement, a deflector or other components of the systems, change aposition of an object holder and change a working distance in dependenceof a mode of operation the system is set to. Thus, the properties of thesystem may be adapted to a particular mode of operation. In alithography system, for instance, the system may be switched to aninspection mode using only one charged particle beamlet for inspection,wherein other optical properties, such as a focusing power, forinstance, of the system are adapted to the inspection mode.

The systems according to the present invention may be inspectionsystems, such as electron microscopes, lithography systems, andlithography systems comprising an inspection mode, to name a fewexamples. The particle-optical component according to the presentinvention may be used in any of these systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing as well as other advantageous features of the inventionwill be more apparent from the following detailed description ofexemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to theaccompanying drawings. It is noted that not all possible embodiments ofthe present invention necessarily exhibit each and every, or any, of theadvantages identified herein.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of an exemplary embodiment of acharged particle system according to the present invention configured asa multi beam electron microscope (side view);

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b illustrate two examples of arrangements of multiaperture plates known from the prior art;

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b illustrate a concept underlying the system and methodaccording to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic cross-section of an arrangement of thefirst and second multi aperture plates for use in exemplary embodimentsof the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic elevational view onto the aperture platearrangement shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 illustrates the aperture plate arrangement of FIG. 4 inconnection with a beam stop comprising an aperture plate comprisingmultiple apertures;

FIG. 7 illustrates the aperture plate arrangement of FIG. 4 inconnection with a beam stop having a single aperture;

FIG. 8 a shows a schematic cross-section of a further exemplaryembodiment of a system according to the present invention in a secondmode of operation;

FIG. 8 b shows the schematic cross-section of FIG. 8 a switched into afirst mode of operation;

FIG. 9 shows a further embodiment of a system according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of a system according to the presentinvention configured as a lithography system;

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of a system according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 shows a schematic cross-section of a further exemplaryembodiment of a system according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 shows a schematic cross-section of a further exemplaryembodiment of a system according to the present invention;

FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic elevational view onto the portion of theaperture plate arrangement shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 shows an elevational view onto a first example of a patterncomprising the portion of the aperture plate arrangement shown in FIG.14; and

FIG. 16 shows an elevational view onto a second example of a patterncomprising the portion of the aperture plate arrangement shown in FIG.14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating basic functions and featuresof a charged particle system configured as an electron microscopy system1. The electron microscopy system 1 is of a scanning electron microscopetype (SEM) using a plurality of primary electron beamlets 3 forgenerating primary electron beam spots 5 on a surface of a substrate Sto be inspected. The surface of the substrate S is arranged in asubstrate plane which coincides with an object plane 101 of an objectivelens 102 of an objective arrangement 100.

The primary electron beamlets 3 are generated by an arrangement 300comprising an electron source 301 and a collimating lens 303, andfurther comprising a first pair of electrodes configured as an apertureplate arrangement APA, a blanking plate BP and an objective lens 307.

The electron source 301 generates a diverging electron beam 309 which iscollimated by collimating lens 303 to form a beam 311 for illuminatingaperture plate arrangement APA.

Insert I₃ of FIG. 1 shows an elevational view onto the aperture platearrangement APA constituting the first pair of electrodes. Apertureplate arrangement APA comprises a first multi aperture plate 330 havinga plurality of apertures 330 formed therein. The centers of apertures330 are arranged in a pattern 319 which electron-optically correspondsto pattern 103 of the primary electron beam spots 5 formed in objectplane 101.

The aperture plate arrangement APA further comprises a second multiaperture plate which is not illustrated in FIG. 1 for sake ofsimplicity. The aperture plate arrangement APA employed in the depictedsystem is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

In order to convey an impression of the dimensions of such a system,pitch P₃ of array 319 may be in a range of 5 μm to 200 μm, for instance.Diameters D of apertures 320 may be in a range of 0.2×P₃ to 0.9×P₃, forinstance.

Electrons of illuminating beam 311 passing through apertures 330 formprimary electron beamlets 3. Electrons of illuminating beam 311impinging on the first multi aperture plate 320 of the aperture platearrangement APA are intercepted from a primary electron beam path 13 anddo not contribute to the formation of the primary electron beamlets 3.

In an alternative embodiment, the beamlet generating arrangement mayfurther comprise an aperture plate for forming charged particle beamletsupstream of the aperture plate arrangement APA. This embodiment has theadvantage that heating of the first multi aperture plate of the apertureplate arrangement may be greatly reduced to the fewer electronsimpinging on a surface between apertures.

In the depicted embodiment, it is one function of the aperture platearrangement to form the plurality of primary electron beamlets 3 fromthe illuminating beam 311. The aperture plate arrangement APAadditionally has the function to focus each primary electron beamlet 3such that foci are generated in a focal plane downstream of the apertureplate arrangement APA. The additional function of the aperture platearrangement APA in the first and second modes of operation will bedescribed in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

In FIG. 1, a blanking plate BP comprising plural apertures 340 isarranged in the focal plane such that foci of the primary chargedparticle beamlets coincide with centers of apertures 340 of the blankingplate BP. The blanking plate BP serves as the beam stop. Insert I₄ ofFIG. 1 shows an elevational view onto the blanking plate BP and thus thefocal plane with foci coinciding with centers of apertures 340. Thecenters of the apertures 340 are arranged in a pattern that correspondsto the pattern 319 of the first aperture plate 302. Diameters of thedepicted foci may be in a range of from about 10 nm to about 1 μm, forinstance.

Objective lens 307 and objective lens 102 serve to image the focal planeonto object plane 101 to form an array 103 of primary electron beamspots 5 having a small diameter on the substrate S.

Insert I₁ of FIG. 1 shows an elevational view onto object plane 101showing a regular rectangular array 103 of primary electron beam spots 5formed thereon. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 shows twenty-fiveprimary electron beam spots 5 arranged in a 5×5-array. This number ofprimary electron beam spots was chosen to be relatively low for sake ofsimplicity and only serves to illustrate the principles of the electronmicroscopy system 1. In practice, the number of primary electron beamspots may be chosen to be substantially higher, such as 30×30, 100×100or any other.

In the illustrated embodiment, the array 103 of primary electron beamspots 5 is a substantially regular rectangular array with asubstantially constant pitch. P₁ in a range of from about 1 μm to about10 μm. It is, however, also possible that the array 103 may be adistorted regular array or an irregular array or an array of some othersymmetry, such as a hexagonal array.

A diameter of the primary electron beam spots formed in the object plane101 may be in a range of 5 nm to 200 nm, for instance. The focusing ofthe primary electron beamlets 3 to form the primary electron beam spots5 is accomplished by the objective arrangement 100.

The primary electrons incident on the substrate S at the beam spots 5generate secondary electrons emanating from the surface of substrate S.The secondary electrons form secondary electron beamlets 9 which enterobjective lens 102. The electron microscopy system 1 further provides asecondary electron beam path 11 to allow the plurality of secondaryelectron beamlets 9 traveling further to a detector arrangement 200.

In addition, a, beam splitter/combiner arrangement 400 is provided inthe primary electron beam path 313 in between the arrangement 300 andobjective arrangement 100 and in a secondary electron beam path 11 inbetween the objective arrangement 100 and the detector arrangement 200.

Detector arrangement 200 comprises a projecting lens arrangement 205 forprojecting the secondary electron beamlets 9 onto a surface plane 211 ofan electron sensitive detector 207 of a detector assembly 209.

Insert I₂ of FIG. 2 shows an elevational view on the surface plane 211of detector 207, where secondary electron beam spots 213 are formed asan array 217. A pitch P₂ of the array may be in a range of 10 μm to 200μm, for example. The detector 207 is a position-sensitive detectorhaving a plurality of detecting pixels 215. The pixels 215 are arrangedin an array matching array 217 formed by the secondary electron beamspots 213 such that each pixel 215 can detect an intensity of anassociated secondary electron beamlet 9. The detector 207 can be one ormore selected from a solid state CCD or CMOS, a scintillatorarrangement, a micro channel plate, an array of PIN diodes and others.

Thus, high resolution secondary electron images may be taken bydetecting intensities of secondary electron beamlets 9 by detectorassembly 209.

In FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, two examples of possible configurations of multiaperture plate arrangements known from the prior art are shown. Thefirst and a second flat multi aperture plates 20, 21 may be arranged inparallel to form aperture plate arrangement 22. The first and secondmulti aperture plates 20, 21 are arranged so as to form a gap betweenthem and are further arranged to be substantially orthogonal to ageneral direction of charged particle beamlets in a system they arecomprised in. Each multi aperture plate 20, 21 comprises a respectiveplurality of apertures 30, 31 which are configured and aligned such thatthey form respective pairs of aligned apertures 30, 31, through which arespective one of plural charged particle beamlets B directed at theaperture plate arrangement 22 may pass. In the depicted embodiment, thefirst and second multi aperture plates each have a configuration thatallows bringing the apertures 30, 31 in the first and second multiaperture plates 20, 21 into registry, resulting in axes extendingthrough respective centers of aligned apertures 30, 31 of a paircoinciding. In other words, when seen in a projection orthogonal to thefirst multi aperture plate, the centers of the apertures of an alignmentpair coincide.

In an alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2 b, an apertureplate arrangement 22′ having a different configuration is provided,which, however, principally resembles that shown in FIG. 2 a. Theaperture plate arrangement 22′ of FIG. 2 b comprises curved first andsecond multi aperture plates 20′, 21′ having convex shapes. Adjacentsurfaces of the first and second multi aperture plates 20′ are arrangedsubstantially in parallel. This kind of configuration may beparticularly advantageous when a charged particle source generates adiverging beam of charged particles or a plurality of charged particlebeamlets such that they approach the aperture plate, arrangement 22′ atvarious angles. As shown in FIG. 2 b, each charged particle beamlet Bcan be associated with a predetermined direction D1 through D5 at whichit is directed at the aperture plate arrangement 22′. A reference pointchosen for indication of a direction may be arbitrary, as long as thereference point allows distinguishing between the various directions. Inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 2 b, each aperture 30′ of the firstaperture plate has an aperture 31′ associated and aligned therewith, theapertures 30′, 31′ being aligned such that their centers are disposed ona same axis A, with axis A being arranged to run parallel to arespective direction D1 through D5 in which charged particles approachthat pair of aligned apertures 30′, 31′.

In FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, a concept underlying the first and secondembodiments and some examples of the third and fourth embodiments of thepresent invention is schematically illustrated: As shown in FIG. 3 a, afirst number of five primary charged particle beamlets is directed atthe object surface generating, secondary charged particle beamlets SBwhich are then incident on detector arrangement D where an intensity ofeach of the secondary charged particle beamlets is detected. In otherwords, in. FIG. 3 a, the charged particle system is set to a first modeof operation wherein the first number of primary charged particlebeamlets B is generated by charged particle source CPS and allowed topass through an aperture in blanking plate BP so that they can reach theobject surface S.

In FIG. 3 b, the second number of charged particles comprises just oneprimary charged particle beamlet that is directed at the surface of theobject S. Thus, the system is set to the second mode of operation,wherein a third number of the generated primary charged particlebeamlets B is blocked by blanking plate BP from reaching the object S,as indicated by broken lines. Only one (the second number) of thecharged particle beamlets B, the inspection charged particle beamlet IBis allowed to reach the object surface S for investigating an effectthat exposure to all charged particle beamlets B in a first mode ofoperation exerts on the object. Secondary charged particles SB aredetected by detector arrangement D which is disposed adjacent to theblanking plate BP on an object facing side thereof. Use of thisprinciple in a system according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 allowsdetection of an intensity of each secondary charged particle beamletgenerated by a primary charged particle beamlet impinging on the objectsurface.

In FIG. 4, an embodiment of a suitable arrangement of a pair ofelectrodes in the form of an aperture plate arrangement APA is shown.The aperture plate arrangement APA comprises first and second multiaperture plates 120, 120′, which are substantially plane platescomprising plural apertures 130, 131 each. The first and second multiaperture plates 120, 212 are arranged in parallel and form a gap 122between them. The first and second aperture plates 120, 212 are furtherdisposed orthogonally with respect to an optical axis of a system (notdepicted) they are comprised in, the optical axis OA also representing ageneral direction from which charged particles are directed at theaperture plate arrangement APA. As can be seen in FIG. 4, only centralapertures 130I and 131I of the first and second aperture plates 120, 121are aligned such that their centers are disposed on an axis whichcoincides with an orientation of the optical axis OA. In other words,the centers of apertures 130I, 131I coincide, when the first multiaperture plate is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the first multiaperture plate. The other apertures 130, 131 of the first and secondaperture plates 120, 121 also form aperture pairs, but with centers ofapertures 131 of the second multi aperture plate 121 being displacedrelative to centers of corresponding apertures 130 of the first multiaperture plate 120. Thus, in each such aperture pair, a center of theaperture 131 in the second aperture plate 121 is offset in a directionorthogonal to the optical axis OA from a center of the associatedaperture 130 in the first aperture plate 120. The distance by which thecenters of the apertures of each aperture pair thus aligned are offsetfrom one another is chosen such that charged particles approaching theaperture plate arrangement APA in a direction of the optical axis maystill traverse each such aperture pair in a straight path, despite theapertures being not in complete registry.

The paths that the charged particle beamlets B take upon passing throughthe aperture arrangement APA in the second mode of operation in which asecond voltage of zero, i.e. no potential difference is applied to thepair of electrodes of the aperture plate arrangement APA, is indicatedby dotted lines B0.

Upon switching the system to the first mode of operation by settingvoltage supply PS to apply a first voltage to the first and the secondmulti aperture plates 120, 121, the charged particle beamlet IBtraversing the central apertures 130I, 131I of the first and the secondmulti aperture plates 120, 121 remains substantially unaffected and istherefore not deflected by the electrical field generated in between thefirst and multi aperture plates 120, 121. On the other hand, the chargedparticle beams B passing through the other apertures 130, 131 of thefirst and second multi aperture plates 120, 121 are deflected as aresult of the particular arrangement of the apertures 130, 131 in theindividual aperture pairs. Thus, charged particle beamlets B havingapproached the aperture plate arrangement APA from a direction parallelto the optical axis exit from the apertures 130, 131 of the apertureplate arrangement APA as deflected charged particle beamlets DB whichtravel at an angle with respect to the optical axis OA. The voltagesupply PS and thus the applied voltage is controlled by controller C.

In FIG. 5, an elevational view onto the first aperture plate 120 and aportion of the second aperture plate 121 disposed underneath is shown.This view represents the view orthogonal to the first multi apertureplate used for defining an arrangement of centers of apertures relativeto one another. Each aperture 130 of the first aperture plate 120 has acenter C130, indicated by a diamond shape in a few apertures. Likewise,each aperture 131 of the second aperture plate 121 has a center C131, asindicted by a circle for a few apertures. The central apertures 130I and131I are aligned such that their centers C130I, C131I coincide, i.e.such that the apertures 130I, 131I are in registry. Therefore, a rim ofaperture 131I is not visible when seen from the elevational view, sinceit is entirely covered by a rim of aperture 130I. In contrast, in allother aperture pairs, i.e. pairs of aligned apertures 130,131 in thedepicted embodiment, a center C131 of an aperture in the second apertureplate 121 is displaced relative to a center C130 of a correspondingaligned aperture 130 in the first aperture plate 120. Therefore, aportion of a rim of aperture 131 is visible through aperture 130, with aremainder of the rim of aperture 131 being hidden from view in thisdirection, as indicated by a broken line. In order to obtain an aperturearrangement of that kind, the apertures 130 of the first aperture plate120 are arranged in a first pattern which is different from a secondpattern of apertures 131 in the second aperture plate 121. In theillustrated embodiment, the patterns differ in that any aperture 131 ofthe second aperture plate 121 has a greater distance from a center C131Iof the central aperture 131I than the distance that a correspondingaligned aperture 130 in the first aperture plate 120 has from the centerC130I of the central aperture 130I in the first aperture plate 120.

FIG. 6 shows the aperture plate arrangement APA of FIGS. 4 and 5 incombination with a blanking plate 140 comprising multiple apertures 141.Each aperture 141 of the blanking plate 140 is aligned with a respectivepair of apertures 130, 131 of the first and second aperture plates 120,121. In the depicted embodiment, a radius of each aperture 141 of theblanking plate 140 is smaller than any radius of the plural apertures130, 131 in the aperture plate arrangement APA.

In a second mode of operation, upon application of a second voltage tothe first and to the second aperture plates 130, 131, charged particlebeamlets B passing through apertures 130, 131 are deflected due to theelectrical field generated in the gap 122 between the first and secondaperture plates 120, 121, with the exception of charged particle beamletIB passing through the central apertures 130I, 131I which remainssubstantially unaffected by the electrical field. Blanking plate 140 isarranged with respect to the second aperture plate 121 and configured interms of positions of the apertures 141 such that the deflected chargedparticle beams DB impinge on the blanking plate 141 and are blocked fromreaching the object surface S. Meanwhile, the unaffected central beam IBserves as the single inspection beam, since the lack of deflectionpermits it to pass through aperture 141I of the blanking plate 140 andreach the object surface S. Thus, the second number of primary chargedparticle beamlets is one, with the third number of charged particlebeamlets being intercepted by the blanking plate 140 amounting to four.

In a first mode of operation, wherein the voltage supply PS is switchedoff, i.e. set to apply a first voltage of zero to the first and secondaperture plates 120,121, the first number of charged particle beamlets Bpasses through apertures 130, 130I, 131, 131I. They exit from theaperture plate arrangement APA in substantially straight paths asprimary charged particle beamlets B0, as indicated by dotted lines. Thecharged particle beamlets B0 may then pass through respective apertures141 of the blanking plate 140 and reach the object surface S forexposure or examination purpose thereof (not shown). Thus, the firstnumber of five primary charged particle beamlets B0 is directed at theobject surface S.

In FIG. 7, the aperture arrangement APA of FIGS. 4 and 5 is employed incombination with a blanking plate 145 comprising only one aperture 146.The charged particle beamlets B are focused by the aperture platearrangement APA into a focal plane FP. A magnetic lens ML is disposed ina region of the focal plane FP and around beam paths of the primarycharged particle beamlets B. The magnetic lens ML is configured todirect the primary charged particle beamlets towards and through theaperture 146 of the blanking plate 145.

In a first mode of operation, wherein a first voltage of zero, i.e. nopotential difference is applied to the first and second aperture plates120, 121, charged particle beamlets B exiting from the aperture platearrangement APA are undeflected charged particle beams B0, as indicatedby dotted lines and follow substantially straight paths down to thefocal plane FP. Deflection caused by the magnetic lens ML causes thecharged particle beamlets B0 in the first mode of operation to betransmitted through the aperture 146 of the blanking plate 145 and toreach the object surface S. Their beam paths downstream of the focalplane FP is not shown in FIG. 7, but may be derived from FIG. 3 b, whichshows beam paths similar to the ones of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

In a second mode of operation, a second voltage is applied to the pairof first and second aperture plates 120, 121 resulting in a deflectionof all charged particle beamlets B with the exception of a centralcharged particle beamlet IB, as described before with reference to FIGS.4 and 6. Positions of foci of the deflected charged particle beamlets DBare therefore shifted in the focal plane FP. Deflection by the magneticlens ML subsequently results in the deflected charged particle beamletsDB being directed onto the blanking plate BP and thus blocked fromreaching the substrate S. Only the central charged particle beam IB isunaffected and reaches the substrate S. It may therefore be used forinspection purposes in this mode of operation. A detector arrangementmay be disposed downstream of the blanking plate and adjacent to it, forinstance (not shown).

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b illustrate an alternative exemplary embodiment. Thecharged particle system of that embodiment comprises a source of chargedparticle beamlets (not shown) for generating charged particle beamletsB, a blanking plate 150, a detector 151 disposed downstream of andadjacent to the blanking plate 150, and a deflector arrangementcomprising four pairs of electrodes D1, D2, D3 and D4. The first andsecond pairs of electrodes D1 and D2 are arranged upstream of theblanking plate 150. They are spaced apart from another in a direction ofan optical axis of the system (not indicated). The third pair ofelectrodes D3 is arranged in approximately a same plane as the blankingplate 150, and the fourth pair of electrodes D4 is disposed downstreamof blanking plate 150 and detector 151.

In a first mode of operation, as shown in FIG. 8 a, the pairs ofelectrodes D1 through D4 are activated, i.e. a predetermined voltage isapplied to each of them. A first voltage is applied to the first pair ofelectrodes D1. Thus, the pairs of electrodes D1 through D4 generateelectrical fields upstream and downstream of the blanking plate 150. Thefirst and second pairs of electrodes D1 and D1 provide an electricalfield that causes the primary charged particle beamlets B passingthrough it to be deflected. This deflection and the resulting shift inposition allow the deflected charged particle beamlets to pass aroundthe blanking plate 150. The third and fourth pairs of electrodes D3, D4serve to focus and redirect the deflected charged particle beamlets DBonto the substrate S, thus taking the function of an objective lens.

FIG. 8 b shows the system set to a second mode of operation, in which asecond voltage of zero is applied to the first and second pairs ofelectrodes. D1 and D2, resulting in the electrical field generatedbetween them being switched off. In the absence of an electrical fieldupstream of the blanking plate 150, the charged particle beamlets Btravel in straight paths towards the substrate S. The blanking plate 150is disposed such that it blocks the majority of charged particlebeamlets B (the third number) from reaching the substrate S. In thedepicted embodiment, only one charged particle beamlet IB can pass bythe blanking plate 150 and reach the substrate S. Thus, the secondnumber is one. In the depicted embodiment, pairs of electrodes D3 and D4serve to focus and redirect the charged particle beamlet IB to a centralportion of substrate S. This single charged particle beamlet impinges onthe substrate S, causing secondary charged particles to be emitted whichtravel towards the detector 151, assisted by the electrical fieldgenerated within the fourth pair of electrodes D4. Thus, the intensityof secondary charged particles resulting from impinging primary chargedparticles can be detected. The primary charged particles in the firstmode of operation may be used to inspect the substrate or mayalternatively be used to expose the substrate for generation of amicrostructure thereon.

FIG. 9 shows a further, alternative embodiment. In this embodiment, asource of charged particle beamlets (not shown) and a blanking plate 155comprising an aperture for transmitting the charged particle beamlets isprovided. First and a second pairs of electrodes D1, D2 are arrangedupstream of the blanking plate 155 and are laterally disposed about beampaths of the first number of electron beamlets. In addition, they arespaced apart in a general direction of travel of the electron beamlets.Components downstream of the blanking plate 155 are not depicted in thisillustration for sake of simplicity. An objective lens and a detectorwould generally be provided downstream of the blanking plate 155.

In a first mode of operation, the first and second pairs of electrodesD1 and D2 are deactivated, i.e. a first voltage of zero is appliedthereto, such that the charged particle beamlets B may travel instraight beam paths through the aperture of the blanking plate 155 andonto the substrate S. Thus, a first number of charged particle beamletsB reaches the substrate S.

In a second mode of operation, a second voltage is applied to each ofthe first and second pairs of electrodes D1 and D2 such that theygenerate an electrical field upstream of the blanking plate 155. Thegenerated electrical field causes a deflection of the charged particlebeamlets B to such an extent that their positions in a plane orthogonalto the optical axis OA is shifted, such that only one charged particlebeamlet IB in the depicted embodiment may still pass through theaperture of the blanking plate 155 and reach the substrate S, whereasthe other deflected charged particle beamlets DB impinge on the blankingplate 155 and are blocked from traveling further. The singled outcharged particle beamlet IB may be suitably used for inspection of thesubstrate S. For instance, a detector could be disposed downstream ofthe blanking plate 155, in a similar way as in the embodiment shown inFIGS. 8 a and 8 b.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, downstream of the beam stop 155, a beampath of one of the primary charged particle beamlets bypassing the beamstop 155 in the first mode of operation coincides with one of theprimary charged particle beamlets bypassing the beam in the second modeof operation.

In FIG. 10, components of an exemplary embodiment of a system accordingto the present invention configured as a lithography system areschematically illustrated. In the depicted embodiment, lithographysystem 500 comprises, in a direction in which electrons would generallytravel, an electron source 501 with an extraction system and condenserlens 503. The condenser lens 503 may, for instance, comprise a stack ofelectrodes. Like in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the electron source501 generates a diverging electron beam 509 which is collimated bycollimating lens 503 to form a beam 511 that is subsequently incident onaperture plate arrangement APA. In the depicted embodiment of thelithography system 500, the aperture plate arrangement APA may be theone shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, with the exception that for purposes of thelithographic process, the first aperture plate is configured as ablanking aperture array, such that each aperture of the first apertureplate is provided with a set of deflection elements allowing individualcontrol of electron beamlets passing through it. Downstream of the thusmodified aperture plate arrangement APA, a blanking plate BP comprisingplural apertures is disposed in a focal plane of electron beamletsformed by the aperture plate arrangement APA. This arrangementcorresponds largely to that described in more detail with reference toFIG. 1 above. The lithography system 500 further comprises an objectivelens arrangement OL for focusing the electron beamlets B onto thesubstrate S. The objective lens arrangement OL may, for instance,comprise an electrostatic lens arrangement and an electromagneticfocussing lens arrangement, which are generally known in the art. Theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 10 further comprises a main controller MCconfigured to control settings of the electron source 501, the condenserlens 503, the blanking plate BP, the objective lens arrangement OL independence of a mode of operation to which the system is switched, i.e.in dependence of a setting of controller C, to which the main controllerMC is also coupled.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the present invention which is configuredas a general blanker, i.e. which serves to blank all charged particlebeamlets from reaching the substrate in one mode of operation, and whichmay also serve as a focussing element. In the embodiment depicted inFIG. 11, a stack of a first multi aperture plate 220, a second multiaperture plate 221, and a third multi aperture plate 219 is shown. Thefirst, second and third multi aperture plates 220, 221, 219 have thesame pattern of apertures formed therein. The first multi aperture plate220 is aligned with the third multi aperture plate 219 such that centersof associated apertures of aperture pairs are in registry when seen in adirection of incidence of the primary charged particle beamlets B, i.e.when seen in a direction orthogonal to the first multi aperture plate220. The second multi aperture plate 221 is shifted relative to thefirst multi aperture plate 220 such that in each aperture pair, a centerof the aperture in the first multi aperture plate is offset by apredetermined distance from a center of the associated aperture in thesecond multi aperture plate 221. In the depicted embodiment, the stackof the first, second and third multi aperture plates 220, 221, 219 isalso symmetric in that a gap 223 formed between the first and thirdmulti aperture plates 219, 220 and a gap 222 formed between the firstand second multi aperture plates 220, 221 have about equal widths. Abeamstop comprising a further multi aperture plate 240 is disposed at adistance downstream of the second multi aperture plate 221. A pattern ofapertures 241 in the multi aperture plate 240 of the beamstopcorresponds to the pattern of the first, second and third multi apertureplates 220, 221, 219 with the exception of the apertures of the multiaperture plate 240 of the beamstop having smaller aperture diameters. Asillustrated in FIG. 11, a center of each aperture 214 of the multiaperture plate 240 of the beamstop coincides with a center of anassociated aperture 231 in the second multi aperture plate 221, whenseen in a direction of incidence of the primary charged particlebeamlets B, i.e. when seen in a direction orthogonal to a plane in whichthe second multi aperture plate 221 is disposed. A controller C isconfigured to control a power supply to selectively apply predeterminedvoltage differences between the first and third as well as the first andsecond multi aperture plates.

In a first mode of operation, an electrical field is generated in thegap 223 between the first and third multi aperture plates 220, 219 byapplication of a suitable voltage difference, whereas no electricalfield is generated in the gap 222 between the first and second multiaperture plates 220, 221. Thus, in the first mode of operation, chargedparticle beamlets B passing through the stack of multi aperture platesare focused by the electrical field between the first and third multiaperture plates 220, 219 and pass along substantially straight paths asprimary charged particle beamlets B0 through respective apertures 241 inthe beamstop. Thus, a total first number of charged particles isincident on the object surface (not depicted). In a second mode ofoperation, no electrical field is generated in the gap 223 between thefirst and third multi aperture plates 220, 219, whereas an electricalfield is generated in the gap 222 between the first and second multiaperture plates 221 by application of a suitable voltage difference. Dueto the centers of the apertures 231 in the second multi aperture plate221 being shifted with respect to the centers of the apertures 230 inthe first multi aperture plate 220, the electrical field in the gap 222results in a uniform deflection of the charged particle beamlets Bpassing through it. The charged particle beamlets B exit from theapertures 231 of the second multi aperture plate 221 as deflectedbeamlets DB which subsequently impinge on the beamstop 240 and are thusblocked from reaching the object surface. This embodiment isadvantageous in that switching between a first and second mode ofoperation, i.e. between focusing and deflecting, my be achieved byswitching a voltage applied to the first multi aperture plate 220,whilst the second and third multi aperture plates 219, 221 may be keptat a constant potential. Thus, fast and accurate switching is possible.

The aperture plate arrangement APA′ shown in FIG. 11 may also be used asa deflection arrangement for fast, simultaneous and uniform deflectionof all of the depicted charged particle beamlets in the same direction.In such an embodiment, the beamstop 240 need not necessarily beincluded.

FIG. 12 depicts an embodiment of a part of a system and a component ofthe present invention which is configured as a general blanker. Incontrast to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, the first and secondmulti aperture plates 120, 121 have no aperture pair wherein a center ofan aperture 130 of the first multi aperture plate 210 is aligned with acenter of an associated aperture 131 of the second multi aperture plate121, i.e. no coaxial apertures. Rather, all aperture pairs have theirapertures arranged such that the centers of associated apertures in thefirst and second multi aperture plates 120, 121 are displaced relativeto one another. The design and arrangement of the first and second multiaperture plates 120, 212, or of their apertures 130, 131, respectively,is such that the depicted charged particle beamlets traverse aperturepairs in a first mode of operation wherein no electrical field isgenerated in between the first and second multi aperture plates 120, 121in substantially straight paths B0. The design and arrangement arefurther configured such that a first group of charged particle beamletsis deflected to the left hand side and a second group of chargedparticles is deflected to the right hand side, referring to thedirections when viewing the illustration, when an electrical field isgenerated in between the first and second multi aperture plates 120, 121in the second mode of operation. A direction of displacement of therespective aperture centers relative to one another corresponds to adirection of deflection of the charged particle beamlets DB. Thus, theembodiment shown in FIG. 12 represents a particle-optical componentconfigured to transform parallel charged particle beamlets into a set ofdivergent charged particle beamlets, thus changing a divergence fromzero to a positive divergence. Two adjacent charged particle beamlets Bform an angle α between them which differs significantly from the anglezero they formed as parallel charged particle beamlets. Upon applicationof the electrical field in between the first and second multi apertureplates 120, 121 in the second mode of operation, the charged particlebeamlets are deflected such that they impinge on blanking plate 140,which blocks them from reaching the object surface.

In FIG. 13, a further embodiment of a part of a system and a componentaccording to the present invention is illustrated. A set of chargedparticles approaching the particle optical component comprising thefirst and second multi aperture plates 120, 121 as parallel chargedparticle beamlets B exit as a divergent set of charged particle beamletsDB from the component upon application of a voltage difference betweenthe first and second multi aperture plates 120, 121 (voltage source notshown). The embodiment shown in FIG. 13 is modified with respect to theembodiment shown in FIG. 12 in that centers of associated apertures ofaperture pairs are displaced to an increasing degree with increasingdistance from a center C of the first multi aperture plate 120. Thefirst and second multi aperture plates 120, 121 are accordinglyconfigured and arranged such that the charged particle beamlets B1, B2,B3, B1′, B2′, B3′ are deflected to a an increasing degree the furtheraway from the center C of the first multi aperture plate 120 theytraverse the multi aperture plates 120, 121. An angle formed between twoperipheral charged particle beamlets in the second mode of operationupon application of an electrical field is illustrated as angle β (linesof beamlets forming angle shortened and shifted for ease ofillustration). The angle β is significantly greater than the angle ofzero between the two parallel charged particle beamlets B3, B3′impinging on the first multi aperture plate 120. In addition, theperipheral beam B3 forms an angle γ with the second multi aperture plate121 upon exit from the electrical field generated between the first andsecond multi aperture plates 120, 121 which differs significantly fromthe angle of 90° between the undeflected charged particle beamlet B0 andthe second multi aperture plate 121. As shown in FIG. 13, a degree ofdeflection, as indicated by distances A1 through A3 between undeflectedcharged particle beamlets B0 and deflected charged particle beamlets DBin a plane parallel to the multi aperture plates, increases withincreasing distance from the center C of the first multi aperture plate120. FIG. 14 shows an elevational view onto the first multi apertureplate 120 of the embodiment of FIG. 13 with edges of apertures 131 ofthe second multi aperture plate 121 being partially visible through theapertures 130 in the first multi aperture plate 120, and dashed linesindicating those parts of edges of the apertures 131 in the second multiaperture plate 121 that are not visible through the respective aperture130 in the first multi aperture plate 120. FIG. 14 thus shows sixalignment pairs that correspond to those depicted in FIG. 13. In thethree alignment pairs to the left, in all alignment pairs the centers ofapertures 131 in the second multi aperture plate 121 are displaced tothe left with respect to a center of the associated aperture 130 of thefirst multi aperture plate 120. The opposite applies to the threealignment pairs on the right side of the center C, in which displacementis to the right, i.e. away from the center C. Centers of apertures 130in the first multi aperture plate 120 are illustrated by diamond shapes,whereas centers of apertures 131 in the second multi aperture plate 121are illustrated by circles. In the three left and the three rightalignments pairs, a distance of displacement S1, S2, S3 between therespective centers of the apertures 130 in the first multi apertureplate 120 and the respective centers of the apertures 131 in the secondmulti aperture plate 120 increases with increasing distance from thecenter C of the first multi aperture plate 120. The arrangement of thedepicted row of apertures is symmetric with respect to the center C.This design of multi aperture plates and arrangement relative to oneanother allows fast and simultaneous generation of a set of chargedparticle beamlets that are divergent upon exit from the aperture platearrangement when an electrical field is generated in between the firstand second multi aperture plates 120, 121.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show two different examples of patterns of the aperturesof the first and second multi aperture plates 120, 121. Symbols andreference numerals correspond to those of FIGS. 5 and 14, respectively.The row of apertures depicted in FIG. 14 forms part of the patternsillustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16, which differ by virtue of symmetry ofthe patterns. A position of row of FIG. 14 in the aperture platearrangement APA is indicated by a dashed line and arrows to the left andright of the dashed line. The cross section shown in FIG. 13 is takenalong this dashed line. In FIG. 15, the apertures 130 of the first multiaperture plate 121 form a highly symmetric first pattern wherein centersof apertures are arranged at equal distances DC1 in a rectangular arrayof rows and columns. A second pattern is formed by the apertures 131 ofthe second multi aperture plate. The second pattern differs from thefirst pattern in more than one respect: Firstly, it differs from thefirst pattern in that it comprises two mirror-inverted sub-arrays ofapertures arranged in a rectangular grid of rows and columns. Twocolumns of apertures of the second pattern to the left and the right ofan axis of mirror-inversion I have a distance DC2 from each other whichis greater than a distance DC1 between the two associated columns of thefirst pattern which are arranged to the left and the right of the axisof mirror-inversion. In addition, with increasing distance from the axisI in either direction, the columns of apertures 131 in the second multiaperture plate are displaced by an increasing distance from associatedapertures of the respective columns of apertures in the first multiaperture plate. The mirror-inverted symmetry of the second patternresults in displacement of associated apertures in the left half of theaperture plate arrangement, as depicted in FIG. 15, being to the leftand displacement in the right half being to the right, i.e. in theopposite direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, the apertures 130, 131 of the first andsecond multi aperture plates form first and second patterns. Eachpattern is radially symmetric about a center C of the first and secondmulti aperture plates. The aperture pairs may be grouped into a firstgroup of aperture pairs arranged on a first (imaginary) circle CI aboutthe center C, a second group of aperture pairs arranged on a larger,second (imaginary) circle CII about the center C and a third group ofaperture pairs arranged on a still larger, third (imaginary) circleabout the center C. A displacement distance S1, S2, S3, (as illustratedin FIG. 14) is a same displacement distance for all aperture pairscomprised in the same group of aperture pairs. In the depictedembodiment, the displacement distance increases from the first to thethird group, i.e. it increases with increasing distance of the aperturesof the respective group of aperture pairs from the center C.

Whilst in all embodiments comprising a blanking plate, the blankingplate has been shown to be arranged substantially in a focal plane ofthe charged particle beamlets, this is advantageous but it is to benoted that this is not necessary for carrying out the invention. Theblanking plate may also be arranged in a different position relative toa focal plane, if any.

While the invention has been described also with respect to certainspecific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives,modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in theart. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention set forthherein are intended to be illustrative and not limiting in any way.Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined in the following claims.

1-4. (canceled)
 5. A charged particle system comprising: at least onecharged particle source; a first multi aperture plate disposeddownstream of the at least one charged particle source, the first multiaperture plate comprising a plurality of apertures; a second multiaperture plate disposed downstream of the first multi aperture plate,the second multi aperture plate comprising a plurality of apertures; acontroller configured to selectively apply at least first and secondvoltage differences between the first and second multi aperture plates;wherein the at least one charged particle source and the first andsecond multi aperture plates are arranged such that each of a pluralityof charged particle beamlets traverses an aperture pair, said aperturepair comprising one aperture of the first multi aperture plate and oneaperture of the second multi aperture plate, wherein plural aperturepairs are arranged such that a center of the aperture of the first multiaperture plate is, when seen in a direction of incidence of the chargedparticle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multi apertureplate, displaced relative to a center of the aperture of the secondmulti aperture plate.
 6. The charged particle system according to claim5, wherein the plural aperture pairs are arranged such that the centerof the aperture of the first multi aperture plate is, when seen in thedirection of incidence of the charged particle beamlet traversing theaperture of the first multi aperture plate, displaced by a distancerelative to the center of the aperture of the second multi apertureplate, the distance being less than a diameter of the aperture of thefirst multi aperture plate.
 7. The charged particle system according toclaim 6, wherein the distance is greater than about 0.01 times thediameter of the aperture of the first multi aperture plate.
 8. Thecharged particle system according to claim 6, wherein the pluralaperture pairs comprise a first group of aperture pairs which arearranged such that the center of the aperture of the first multiaperture plate is, when seen in the direction of incidence of thecharged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multiaperture plate, displaced by a first distance relative to the center ofthe aperture of the second multi aperture plate, and wherein the pluralaperture pairs comprise a second group of aperture pairs which arearranged such that that the center of the aperture of the first multiaperture plate is, when seen in the direction of incidence of thecharged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multiaperture plate, displaced by a second distance relative to the center ofthe aperture of the second multi aperture plate, wherein the seconddistance is at least 1.05 times the first distance.
 9. The chargedparticle system according to claim 8, wherein the plural aperture pairscomprise a third group of aperture pairs which are arranged such thatthe center of the aperture of the first multi aperture plate is, whenseen in the direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlettraversing the aperture of the first multi aperture plate, displaced bya third distance relative to the center of the aperture of the secondmulti aperture plate, wherein the third distance is greater than thefirst and second distances, and at least 1.10 times the first distance.10. The charged particle system according to claim 5, wherein theapertures of the first multi aperture plate comprised in the pluralaperture pairs form a first pattern of apertures, and wherein theapertures of the second multi aperture plate comprised in the pluralaperture pairs form a second pattern of apertures which is differentfrom the first pattern.
 11. The charged particle system according to oneof claim 5, further comprising a beamstop, wherein the first and secondmulti aperture plates and the beam stop are arranged such that a firstnumber of primary charged particle beamlets bypasses the beam stop whenthe first voltage difference is applied and further such that a secondnumber of primary charged particle beamlets bypasses the beam stop whenthe second voltage is applied.
 12. The charged particle system accordingto claim 11, wherein the second number is at least one and less than thefirst number, and wherein a third number of primary charged particlebeamlets is incident on the beam stop when the second voltage isapplied, wherein the third number is equal to a difference between thefirst and second numbers.
 13. The charged particle system according toclaim 11, wherein the second number is zero.
 14. The charged particlesystem according to claim 13, further comprising a third multi apertureplate disposed upstream of the first multi aperture plate.
 15. Thecharged particle system according to claim 14, wherein the third multiaperture plate comprises a plurality of apertures and is arranged suchthat the aperture pairs each further have an associated aperture of thethird multi aperture plate, wherein the associated aperture of the thirdmulti aperture plate is arranged such that a center thereof is, whenseen in a direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlettraversing the aperture of the first multi aperture plate, substantiallyaligned with the center of the aperture of the first multi apertureplate of the aperture pair.
 16. The charged particle system according toclaim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to selectivelyapply at least third and fourth voltage differences between the firstand third multi aperture plates. 17-33. (canceled)
 34. Aparticle-optical component for manipulating a plurality of beamlets ofcharged particles, the particle-optical component comprising: a firstmulti aperture plate comprising a plurality of apertures and a secondmulti aperture plate comprising a plurality of apertures, the first andsecond multi aperture plates forming a gap between them, a controllerconfigured to selectively apply at least a first voltage differencebetween the first and second multi aperture plates to generate at leasta first electrical field between them, wherein the first and secondmulti aperture plates are configured and positioned relative to eachother such that the first electrical field generated changes adivergence of a set of charged particle beamlets traversing theparticle-optical component upon exit from the particle-opticalcomponent.
 35. The particle-optical component according to claim 34,wherein the divergence is changed such that an angle between two chargedparticle beamlets exiting the particle-optical component is increased ordecreased by at least 0.01 mrad.
 36. The particle-optical componentaccording to claim 34, wherein the divergence is changed such that anangle formed between a peripheral charged particle beamlet having exitedthe charged particle component and the second multi aperture plate isincreased or decreased by at least 0.01 mrad.